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Episode 1559 (9 January 1998)
Synopsis Kathy accompanies Ian to court for the brief hearing when they expect Cindy to plead not guilty and the trial date to be arranged. Alex tries to talk to her but she can't because she's on her way to court and can't be late. When she arrives, she sees Polly and Tony there reporting, and has a go at Tony for doing his job. He and Polly laugh in despair at her moronic notion that because he's a distant relative of Ian's he should decide to jack the job in and not report on the case. However, the trial gets off to a dramatic start, as the judge asks each if they have reconsidered. The CPS say they have consulted the DPP, who will pursue the case. Cindy is asked for her plea and she hesitates before saying "Guilty". Everyone is shocked, and Ian is upset because he's been told that her "not guilty" plea made it likely she would be treated with less clemency for wasting the court's time and money. The prosecutor asks for more time given the sudden change, but the judge says he has had plenty of time to prepare his case, so get on with it. Kathy has to leave because the kids were only with Peggy briefly so she has to look after them. Michael tries to put Matthew off from his market stall aspirations by giving him the worst pitch on the market. Matthew moans to Bianca about having to get up so early to wait in line for a casual pitch, and how do you manage to get a regular one? She says you have to have been there about 100 years. He asks why she has the same pitch every day, and never has to queue, if she's only casual too, and she says it's because his father is a nice man. Matthew is annoyed and confronts Michael, saying that he seems to be giving people preferential treatment, and if the council heard about that surely they wouldn't be too happy? Michael says that's blackmail, and Matthew looks smug, and says that's an ugly word, but he's sure that his father will reconsider his pitch tomorrow. Peggy brings Grant his morning cuppa and discovers he's back in the bedroom with Tiffany instead of on the sofa. She's thrilled. Later that day, Grant gives Tiffany the eternity ring, and she's predictably impressed and affectionate. Phil asks Annie to talk, and she assumes it's about the flirtation. She says let's forget it, and Phil slaps her down saying he's not interested in that, he wants to talk business, and he thinks they need two men to collect the money, even when the woman is as frightening as her! He says he will ask Conor, and she says she knows him, he did some plumbing for her, and she's agreeable. Phil approaches Conor, who is pleased, and agrees, subject to the money being right. Phil says he will put him on the books at the Arches as a part-time mechanic so he won't be signing on, and no-one will ask questions about the pay. Cindy's lawyer is brilliant as he shows Ian's nasty and obsessive character off in the worst possible light, and says that Cindy only married him to provide legitimacy for her first child. The judge provides his verdict, which is that there has been no contention that Cindy was anything other than a good and loving mother, and he hands down a conditional discharge for Cindy, for the children's good. Ian's there with his solicitor, and he is furious and starts shouting in court, accusing the judge of being corrupt and having favoured Cindy's lawyer by giving the indication of sentence and hence getting her to change her plea. The judge places him in contempt of court, and puts him in the cooler, giving him a chance to reiterate his case. Alex and Kathy finally get around to talking about their one-night stand, and agree that it's impossible for a priest to have an affair with a married woman, and it would be better all round to forget it, although they both enjoyed it and did not regret doing it. Conor turns up and looks at Annie while waiting for Phil to arrive. She tells him she doesn't like him looking at her like that if she is to be his boss. Conor is cocky and says "Like what?" Phil arrives and they talk money, after eventually agreeing on Conor's pay. After his cooling-off period, Ian reiterates his corruption claim. The judge adjourns the case so that another judge can rule on it tomorrow. Ian is held in prison until then. Credits Main cast *Kathy Mitchell - Gillian Taylforth *Ian Beale - Adam Woodyatt *Cindy Beale - Michelle Collins *Alex Healy - Richard Driscoll *Tony Hills - Mark Homer *Polly Becker - Victoria Gould *Michael Rose - Russell Floyd *Matthew Rose - Joe Absolom *Bianca Butcher - Patsy Palmer *Peggy Mitchell - Barbara Windsor *Grant Mitchell - Ross Kemp *Tiffany Mitchell - Martine McCutcheon *Phil Mitchell - Steve McFadden *Annie Palmer - Nadia Sawalha *Conor Flaherty - Seán Gleeson Guest cast * Category:Episode Category:1998 Episodes Category:Episodes outside of broadcast patterns